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Galaxy S2 gets a Marshmallow treat for its fifth birthday

Once upon a time, when phones with 5-inch screens were huge, when dual-core processors were the bomb, the Galaxy S2 showed the world that Samsung was serious about this whole smartphone thing.

Released in February 2011, the Galaxy S2 was Samsung’s first real sales hit. It was one of the most iconic designs that Samsung ever put out, but the steady pace of tech evolution relegated it to the dustbin of the mobile industry.

Fortunately for the precious few users that still rock a Galaxy S2, the folks in the CyanogenMod community are not in the habit of giving up on capable phones, no matter how old and out of fashion they are.

CyanogenMod 13 nightlies are now available for download for the international Samsung Galaxy S2 (i9100), bringing users the option to try out Marshmallow on their venerable device.

How is it the five-year-old Galaxy S2 able to run Marshmallow, you ask? It’s thanks to its 1GB of RAM and dual-core processor, but of course don’t expect the smooth experience you would get from a modern device. Nightlies, by their nature, can contain bugs and inconsistencies, so be advised that putting Marshmallow-based CM13 on your Galaxy S2 may result in some issues.

CyanogenMod 13 offers a slew of customizations options and feature additions, on top of a very stock-like user experience. The custom ROM is perfect for stock Android fans that are looking for a little more power and variety. Among the biggest features are a powerful custom launcher, a customizable lock screen, extensive themes support, and a slew of personalization options.